


Someone To Skate For

by n00dl3Gal



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hockey, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cuban Lance (Voltron), Excessive use of italics, F/M, Flashbacks, Gen, Ice Skating, M/M, Minor Lance/Shiro (Voltron), Multi, Voltron Secret Santa 2017, klance, one-sided shance, shallura - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2017-12-18
Packaged: 2019-02-16 18:56:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13060110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/n00dl3Gal/pseuds/n00dl3Gal
Summary: When Lance met Shiro, he knew he had to talk to him again.Except that meant playing hockey, meeting their grumpy goalie, and learning first impressions aren't always everything.(My work for the Voltron Secret Santa 2017.)





	Someone To Skate For

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lceithkogane](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=lceithkogane).



> This is my gift for Kai (lceithkogane on tumblr) for the Voltron Secret Santa! You asked for a hockey AU with Shance, Klance, and Shallura, so I hope you enjoy! Happy Holidays!!

_ If you had asked Lance seven months, two weeks, and three days ago if he’d ever play ice hockey, he’d probably laugh in your face. Lance Fuentes, playing hockey? It wasn’t that he was unfamiliar with the sport- he’d seen it on TV a couple of times- but actually standing out on the ice, batting around a disk like it offended your mother… yeah, that wasn’t for him.  _

_ Of course, seven months, two weeks, and two days ago, Lance saw Takashi Shirogane.  _

_ And that’s how it began.  _

_. . . _

_ He was probably the hottest person Lance had ever seen in his life, regardless of gender. Chiseled chin, sculpted muscles, delicately wind-swept hair, and a scar running across his nose that didn’t detract from the appearance in the slightest. Rather, it added to it.  _

_ “W-welcome to the Quiznak Snack Shack, what can I g-get for you today?”  _

_ The man smiled, scratching his cheek in thought. “How about a medium lemonade and a fruit cup, please?”  _

_ Lance nodded, busying himself with pouring the drink and slicing the fruit. Pidge and Coran were likely in the back, and this guy was their only customer- a little flirting couldn’t hurt, right? “I-I’ve never seen you here before. You new?” he asked in his most casual voice, chopping a strawberry. _

_ He laughed, eyes crinkling. “Ah, no. I just haven’t been able to stop by before. I’ve been meaning to, though.” He fished in his back pocket for his wallet. “My name’s Takashi Shirogane.”  _

_ “Lance,” he replied, ringing up the food. “That’ll be $5.86.” Takashi paid and dropped the change in the tip jar, prompting another smile from Lance. “Enjoy your food!”  _

_ “I plan to,” Takashi said, heading towards the door. He paused just before opening it. “Hey, do you mind if I put up a flier for work on the community board?”  _

_ Lance’s gaze flicked over to the corkboard of pamphlets and posters for events around the city. He shrugged. “As long as it’s not for anything illegal, go ahead.” Takashi lifted his lemonade in thanks before tacking a sheet of paper on top of an ad for a tanning salon. Then he left, vanishing into the crowd on the street, leaving the tinkling door chime and a wistful sigh in his wake.  _

_ Once his shift ended, Lance took a moment to memorize the address on the flier he had left. The Voltron Ice Arena, huh?  _

_ Works for him. _

. . .

“You mean to tell me-” Keith said, pushing the puck away from the goal effortlessly, “that you decided to play hockey to impress a guy you hadn’t even spoken to.” 

Lance panted and dribbled the puck back to the neutral zone. “I mean, when you say it like that, it sounds creepy.” 

“It  _ is  _ creepy.” 

“Alright, alright, so I wasn’t really thinking and I ended up signing up for tryouts. And you remember how that turned out.” 

. . .

_ It wasn’t that Lance was unfamiliar with ice skating. He’d done it a few times with his family and friends. Wasn’t too shabby at it, either. He knew hockey well enough, too, or at least had seen enough on TV to get the gist of it.  _

_ So while he wasn’t expecting much when he tried out. Probably to be rejected outright. But… somehow, he wasn’t. Not that he was pulling off last-minute nosedive saves or cross-rink goals, but he still managed to control the puck well and keep himself upright, which was more than most of the other tryouts were doing. _

_ The woman in charge, a tall, pretty thing named Allura, smiled and patted him on the back once he finished. “You did well, Lance. Have you played before?” _

_ He shook his head. “Never in my life. Don’t know how I did all this.”  _

_ “Well, whatever the case, with a bit more training, you could be a valuable member of the Paladins. Tryouts continue for the rest of the weekend, but don’t be surprised to hear from us come Monday,” she said cheerfully. “Once you return your skates, you’re free to go.”  _

_ Lance skated over to the penalty box, where a young man about his age sat. For some god-forsaken reason, he had a mullet. “Name’s Lance,” he said, sticking out his hand.  _

_ The boy grunted and shook it once before dropping it like it bit him. “Keith. Goalie.”  _

_ Well, this guy was easy to talk to. Not. “So, you already tried out, then? I thought results weren’t up until Monday.”  _

_ “I’m still on the team from last year. Only replacing a few people.”  _

_ Lance pulled off his left skate, shaking his foot loose. “Well, I may be one of those lucky few, which would make us teammates. Should probably get to know each other then, right?”  _

_ Keith rolled his eyes. “You’re not on the team, yet, so what’s the point?”  _

_ OK, now he was just being purposefully difficult. But Lance wasn’t one to back down from a challenge, be it trying out for a sport he’s never played or befriending a jerk. “Just cuz I’m not on the team doesn’t mean we can’t talk. How long have you been playing?” he asked, smile somewhat forced.  _

_ “Since I was in middle school. Look, why don’t you just return your rentals and leave? Tryouts are over for the day anyway, I’m just sticking around for my ride,” Keith said, crossing his arms.  _

_ “Well if you’re gonna be like that, fine. Maybe I will leave,” Lance countered, picking up the skates. “Don’t even know why I bothered talking to y-” Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted something. Something that made Lance shiver.  _

_ Takashi Shirogane, dressed in sweats, twirling across the ice. “Oh, holy crow,” he breathed, moving closer to the rink to watch.  _

_ Keith stood and glared at Lance all the harder. “Wait, do you know him?” _

_ Lance blinked and turned back to the other boy. “Um, maybe? So what if I do? Can’t I watch him practice his hockey?”  _

_ There was a second of silence, and then a snort as Keith doubled over, laughing. “What the hell, man? What’s so funny?” _

_ “Shiro playing hockey, now that’s something I would like to see!”  _

_. . . _

“You seriously thought he played hockey?”

Lance batted the puck out of Keith’s reach and launched it across the ice. Keith blocked it with ease, but Lance chalked it as a victory to even get it away from him. “Well, given his physique and what little information I had to go on, it was a reasonable assumption,” he argued. 

Keith huffed and rolled his eyes, smiling. “But still an assumption, and you know the old saying.” 

“Yeah, yeah. And then I found out he was taken…” 

. . .

_ His eyes tracked Shiro as the latter drifted across the ice. Keith sat a few rows behind him, no doubt pouting. In the two weeks since Lance had joined the Paladins, he hadn’t seen Keith smile once. If it wasn’t for them laughing when they met, Lance might’ve thought it was impossible.  _

_ Nevertheless, he focused on Shiro and his routine. Once he had seen Lance and they both laughed awkwardly about the misconception, he was happy to let Lance watch him practice. “New source of feedback,” he said, patting Lance’s shoulder.  _

_ Lance blushed and mentally made that his favorite shoulder.  _

_ Shiro transitioned from a triple lutz to hydroblading, zooming past were Lance stood. Despite the glass, Lance could feel the passion and friction Shiro’s skates were creating. After a quick mohawk turn, Shiro pulled into a lunge before striking his final pose. Lance clapped wildly, slightly muffled by his mittens.  _

_ Shiro stood and smiled, waving at Lance. He waved back eagerly. There was a snort from somewhere up in the bleachers- oh yeah, he had forgotten about Keith. Lance spun on his heel and glared at him. “He did fantastic- much better than what you could do!” he snapped. _

_ Keith stretched and walked down to rink level. “Oh, you’re not wrong about that. It’s just how obvious you’re being with that silly crush of yours,” he said.  _

__ “S-so? Why would that be a problem?"  
  
__ Keith pulled a hand out of his pocket and pointed across the ice. There stood Allura, who Shiro was skating towards. “And?” Lance asked. “They’re co-workers, it makes sense for them to-” 

_ And then, in a decidedly NOT co-worker-like fashion, Allura leaned up and kissed Shiro on the lips. Shiro responded by equally unprofessionally wrapping his arms around her waist.  _

_ If Keith said anything else, Lance didn’t hear it. He just curled his fists and shook.  _

_. . . _

“You’re not… still mad about that, are you?” Keith asked suddenly, skidding to a stop. Powdered ice shot up in his wake, splattering Lance’s knees. “About him and Allura being engaged.” 

Lance sighed but shook his head. “I mean, I was at the time, but I don’t really know why. I barely knew the guy and I was already infatuated with him… it was stupid. I’m glad I found out pretty early, though.” 

Keith nodded, skating back to the net. “I guess I’m just surprised you stuck around.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Lance accused, pointing a gloved finger. 

“I mean that you only tried out to get close to Shiro. It wasn’t for a love of the sport or for exercise or anything, it was cuz you were being a stalker,” Keith explained. 

“I was not being a stalker!” 

Keith shot the puck back towards Lance and rolled his eyes. He lowered his faceguard, saying “we’ve been over this, you were being creepy-” 

“Yeah, yeah, just get ready for this shot, Samurai.” 

As they practiced, Keith had to admit it- Lance had improved quite a bit since he tried out, and even then he was no slouch. He would never say it out loud, but he was glad Lance had stuck around, even after finding out about Shiro. They still bickered- a lot- but in the past seven months, they formed a strange sort of friendship that Keith wouldn’t trade for anything. 

Suddenly, Lance stopped and beckoned Keith closer. Keith wondered for a second if Lance was injured and skated over, dribbling the puck idly. “You alright?” 

“You asked me why I stuck around- there’s a couple of reasons. First of all, you’d all be dead without me on the team and you know it,” Lance boasted, grinning. 

Keith exhaled. “Whatever lets you sleep at night,” he muttered. 

Lance dismissed him with a wave of his hand. “It’s also good exercise and it’s fun and it’s something to do when I don’t have work. But… in regards to Shiro, well…” His voice fell a few decibels as he leaned into Keith’s ear. “I may have found someone else to skate for.”    


He couldn’t help the shiver that ran down his back when Lance said that. Who was it? Hunk? Pidge? Maybe- it couldn’t be  _ him _ \- 

Lance took the shot and scored. “HA! I knew that would throw you off!” he laughed. He kicked off and made his way towards the door to the stands. 

“B- La- you- I was nowhere near the goal, it doesn’t count!” Keith sputtered, chasing him. “Get back here!” 

“Nah man, I wanna get out of this smelly jersey-”

“ _ They are called sweaters and you know it, Lance!” _

Lance just chuckled some more. Maybe one day he’d score a real goal against Keith. Maybe he’d score something else with him, too.


End file.
